Lyle focused on big challenges coming up

Top scorer eager to maintain improved league form with Bradford up next

23 January 2018

Lyle Taylor is determined to maintain AFC Wimbledon's impressive league form in 2018 and he said the squad must believe that they can get a result away at promotion-chasers Bradford City.

Our top scorer is still pursuing his 50th club goal after being stuck on 49 since his penalty at Gillingham, but he is more preoccupied with the search for points after Saturday's victory against Blackpool.

"We've had three clean sheets in a row in the league now and it was a good result," said Lyle. "I thought we dominated the game and I didn't think they had very much. We were at it in this match and that sent the fans home happy. Next up we will do our utmost to repeat what happened here (against Bradford). I think we were a lot better than them on the day. We need to be going up there with the same mindset of, 'we can do it again'. We have shown we can do it, so it's up to us now. This is the nitty-gritty and I was more focused on last week (game against MK) than the Tottenham match."

Lyle feels that Wimbledon's current crop have shown enough in recent weeks to suggest that they can remain outside the bottom four.

"Before the Christmas period, we were in good form," added Lyle. "Wigan was one of those days, but I don't think they conceded a goal in December and you are talking about the runaway leaders. They are a very good team, but we were in the game for a long period. We've been in good form beyond that. Even though we struggled a bit at Portsmouth in horrendous conditions, we battled away. I think that game and the one against Tottenham are the only defeats we've had in that period of time, which is nothing to be ashamed of. As long as we keep plugging away, we will be okay. We've set ourselves a target and that's what we have to hit."